


the things i do for love

by AuburnWolf



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2020-07-10 00:13:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19896697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuburnWolf/pseuds/AuburnWolf
Summary: one-shots with random prompts i've found on tumblr, because i've lot of ideas and cannot make a good one and my long story is gone for now because it doesn't have sense.let me know, thanks x





	1. One day, you will become a fine ruler of this land

**Author's Note:**

> i do not own this, george does

1- One day, you will become a fine ruler of this land

“Steffon, come here”.  
The young boy, kept staring the floor, trying to cover his eyes with his hair; he was sniffling soundly.  
“Steffon. Here”. Stannis said firmly. He never raised his voice with them, he only needed to repeat with a firm voice, what he wanted.  
The boy finally moved and sat on his father lap. Stannis moved his dark inky hair from his blue eyes, so like his own, as gently as his big hard hands let him, and stared the boy into those blue pools. Steffon was eight years old, already so serious and smart, so like his father in every little way.  
He started to cuddle him, gently rocking his legs and holding him close to his own chest. They stayed silent for a while, listening to their beating hearts.

“It’s just that” – Steffon said, sniffling again – “Davos...”  
“Go on”, his father said. Stannis always treated him like his equal, and not like a little boy. He always wanted to know what he was thinking and feeling. Unexpectedly, he was a great father, so attentive.

“Davos, wanted to climb on the big oak branches, near the river, and jump into the water. But mother forbade us to do it, so I… I followed him because he told me he was going to study, but I know he lies. He...He’s never afraid of anything, father. And…and Renly always wants to be like him , but he’s three. He could have injured or worse. Mother always tell us about uncle Bran...and so I was trying to take care of Renly, I was worried father. I tried to put some sense in his head but he pushed me, so I punched him in the face – he lowered his eyes, and got redder on his cheeks and ears, ashamed – He spit a tooth, so I felt bad and tried to help him, but he punched me back. I spit a tooth too, but he didn’t care. He just called me traitor...”. Stannis could feel Steffon was on the verge of tears again, so he held him closer and encouraged him to go on.

“…he took Renly and left me there alone. He doesn’t really like to stay with me, he...I don’t want to be a traitor but I didn’t want Mama or you to get angry so”. 

Stannis shaked his head and sighed. Davos was the wild one. Always been. He was a perfect merge between his older brother Robert and the young Rickon. A stag and a wild wolf of the northern forests. Renly was still young and malleabile as clay and Stannis too didn’t want him to become a complete brute. But Steffon reminded him of himself. He was the perfect copy of young Stannis, same feelings, same problems, with the gentle heart and eyes of his mother. He would take care of Davos’ punishment, he noted to himself, but he really wanted his children to solve their own battles. He and Sansa always wanted from the start to raise a huge close family. Growing up he didn’t have a good relationship with his brothers and now it was too late; Sansa, had the luck to mend her broken threads in time, but knew too, too well, how even among differences, could lie a strong bond. Her father used to say Arya and her were like the sun and the moon, but even so different, the sky needs both. For Steffon and Davos it was the same. 

“I don’t think you’re a traitor, Steff. You did the right thing, you did what you thought it was right. You’ve done your duty, as oldest brother, my child. You’re not selfish, you thought about everyone, even your younger brothers, to save them. You wanted to protect them, I just think Davos didn’t see it in the same way. So, what would you do, young lord?” 

“I..I’ll try to talk to him and..I want him to like me, Father. I just feel like he doesn’t even try to. I want to play with him and Renly, but he has to think what he does. I think. I didn't mean to punch him, I know it's wrong...but he made me so angry and...I’ll bring him a lemon cake to make peace”.

Stannis smiled into his hair. “Oh, that’s an offer nobody can refuse. One day, you will become a fine ruler of this land, my little one”.

Steffon smiled and hugged his father. Stannis raised his eyes to see Sansa on the door, a hand caressing her round belly, Renly clutching her skirt and Davos, holding her hand. She smiled kindly at him, bright eyes, and looked at Davos, encouraging him to go on. 

He mouthed “I’m sorry” to his father, who nodded. He cleared his throat, drawing Steffon's attention: “Oi Steff, I’ve something for you”. He pushed a lemon cake forward, for his brother, smiling. Steffon left his father lap and got closer. He took the treat and divided into three pieces, one for each brother, smiling too. 

“I’m sorry Steffon". "And?", said his mother gently. 

"And you were right about that...it was dangerous and I promise I won't do it again" - he said, looking at his feet. "You know you always look at your feet before lying?", their mother said again, raising an eyebrow. 

He blew her a kiss and went back to his brother "And now..we’re missing the same tooth, we’re like the same person”, he said with a smirk. 

“Yes, I think that too”. They started laughing and eating, while running around, all three of them. 

Sansa entered the room and took Steffon place on Stannis lap, while her husband caressed her belly and placed soft kisses on her neck. They stayed like that for a while, looking at their pack.  
“It’s not always easy but..”  
“but we’re doing a good job, my queen”. She smiled. “I hope it’s a girl, this little one..maybe it’s easier”. He sighed.  
Laughing, she placed a long loving kiss on his lips.


	2. “Royal balls are such a bore, aren’t they?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> any feedback is appreciated, even telling me to stop writing and find another hobby

• “Royal balls are such a bore, aren’t they?”

Every year he was forced to go to that stupid ball for his stupid nephew’s birthday. Excessively huge, expensive, and stupid. Like Joffrey, he thought. He’s always hated Joffrey, since he was a child. And even if it’s not particularly good to say to hate a child, he couldn’t help it: he was self-entitled and a brat. And now he was a stupid self-entitled brat who just turned eighteen years old and thought to know everything from life and teach to other, and older, people how to live.

As the King’s brother and member of the Royal family, it was expected from him to be there and to pretend to have fun, but Stannis couldn’t stand his brother, his wife and their stupid son. If he was there it was for Myrcella, smart and kind, and and Tommen, sweet and innocent child and for his own daughter, who was an only child and deserved at least to spend time with her favourite cousins, because it would help her to find a bit of peace in the midst of her parents’ divorce, or at least he hoped so. 

He was there, doing what he liked: sipping his gin and tonic, extra gin, extra lemon, bitter as he liked it, staring at the guests, judging them in silence, trying to avoid empty conversation or make people, who were brave enough to come close to him, run away only using his dark blue eyes. 

This year his awful sister-in-law went extra. He never liked her, nor the Lannister family: cunning evil social climbers. Cersei never loved Robert, not even for a day, and he suspected she’s never loved anyone except herself and that idiot cub of hers. The throne room of the Red Keep was covered in gold and red, Lannister colours, even if he was a Baratheon and a Baratheon heir to the throne, and this, as always, made him grind his teeth. Balloons were hanging from the ceiling and too many garlands, that made the room looking like it needed air itself. A huge cake, again, unexpectedly in gold and red, seven layers, like if it was a fucking wedding, standing in the middle of the table, his stupid name, J O F F R E Y, towering on the top of it, surrounded by too much food, all too sweet, for his taste. 

There was also too much booze, he thought. Robert had a tendency to drink too much and Joffrey seemed to get only that from his father. At eighteen years old he was already been had arrested twice for DUI, and he had problems with drugs and girls. He’s always told Robert he was too violent but both his cunt of a brother and his wife, dismissed him saying he was annoying and the kid was a kid. The kid was a kid, but he was growing up to be the king of Westeros and he was worried for his family name and his country. The room was completely filled with food, gifts and people, making the Keep looking like a mix between a 1800’s Romanov family ball and Christmas at Hogwarts, something he knew thanks to Shireen. 

Even the guests made him grind his teeth and roll his eyes. Among all, nobles and not, Lannister family, of cours, the Tyrells, of course, since Renly had something with the youngest boy of the family and their fake daughter alwasy tried to get her claws on Joffrey, his monstrous ex-wife, who nobody liked but he suspected Cersei invited only to piss him off, the Starks, because Ned was the brother Robert always wanted, in everything but blood, and their princess was Joffrey’s girlfriend, even if he always wondered how and why. She looked like she was too much for him: at eighteen, she was tall and slender, plump lips, Tully blue eyes, fiery red waves, freakles kissing her face, curves in the right place. She was also clever, wit and funny, an interesting girl with an old soul, for what he could have known, always a pleasure to stay around her, even if he was almost fourty.   
Maybe he enjoyed too much staying around her, and sometimes he even wondered how it should have been to have her to talk to 24/7 or have that smile only for himself or those lips screaming his name. He shooked his head and came back to reality, dismissing his perv dreams. 

Stannis found himself staring at Renly and Loras, sharing a piece of cake, sharing the same fork, grinning at each other sheepishly, like two kids deeply in love and he was happy his brother had found peace, love and happiness. Growing up they’ve always been strained, with Stannis trying to be a father figure to that child who became orphan too soon while Robert was busy fucking around and Renly has always seen him as too stern and boring, but it was Stannis who Renly looked for when he was having hard times to come to terms with his own identity. He had been 21 and knocked at Stannis door in tears. A shower, a cup of tea and some tears later, he came clean to his older brother who just held him and placed a kiss on his head, telling him he’s always known and nothing would have changed. They rekindled their relationship and now Renly was Stannis’ only light in that family. They made eye contact and Stannis half smiled at them and raised his gin and tonic; Renly smiled at him, cream on his nose, and raised his fork, while Loras took the cream away with a kiss, making them both burst into a heartly laugh.

Robert and Cersei had gifted the boy a new Porsche, because the two he had already destroyed while drunk weren’t enough. Joffrey looked pleased enough, thanks the gods, but he also seemed already drunk and high, not even halfway the party. Stannis felt someone staring at him and turned his face to see Tywin Lannister, the boy’s grandfather, sharing the same worrying look. Tywin was the only one who understood Stannis and the one who thought it was time to do something about Joffrey. Officially he was sent to military school, the same everyone from Lannister Family had attended but everyone close knew he was sent to rehab. They didn’t like what they were seeing, but Robert mouthed to him “it’s his birthday, leave him alone”, making him wonder if Robert had parenting skills at all or love for the boy and his family, at least. 

Everybody was looking amazed at the car, while Joffrey, drink in hand, started screaming “Hey, uncle Stannis, see? I always get what I want, even if you think it’s a bad idea. Cars, power, girls… I’ll be in charge, I’ll have everything I want, I’ll be king. I won’t be a loser like you and that ugly daughter of yours”. He felt like his blood was boiling. Everybody laughed of course, his fucking ex wife too. He flashed his eyes all over the crowd to spot his daughter, who shrugged her shoulders and winked at him, saying “I’m fine, look”, while dancing with Myr and Tommen. Suddenly a laugh more like a witch shriek than, made him look back at Joffrey and he saw the idiot brat showing off the car to Margaery Tyrell, of course, who was lowering her dress, showing more of her body, and was, annoyingly and forcefully, laughing at his jokes, telling him how brave, strong and clever he was. He started to nibble her neck, and as soon as the lights lowered and the music started, they started to make up, pretending they were alone but he was clear to everyone that this wasn’t casual and new and that the Stark girl had been humiliated and abandoned. He didn’t have love for himself or some dignity, or respect for his girlfriend.   
Speaking of his girlfriend…he didn’t spot her anywhere. Everyone was whispering and joking meaningly about her, he could see and hear Ned and Cat, arguing with Robert and Cersei about Joffrey and his behaviour and Robb and Jon, but even little Arya, threatening to kill him. He made a note to himself to love the Starks more. 

Suddenly he saw her next to him, stunning as always. He looked at her: in her long golden dress, a deep neckline, but still classy, long soft sleeves, with black details on them, she looked like something bewteen a Greek goddess and a forest fairy. She paired it with a golden leaves tiara and heavy pendant golden earrings. At least someone is dressed in Baratheon colours and looks too good in them, he thought. She saw his dark eyes on her and lowered hers too on her dress. “I wanted to dress in his family colours to make something good for him, but I guess he gave me a surprise instead. Can I have some of that? I need to drink”. She pointed at his glass and he pushed it, gently, towards her. She sipped from his straw, sensually, without breaking eye contact with him. “Thank you Stannis. Well, I guess we have no luck in love”, she said, smiling sadly. He always loved how she could find always the way to laugh about everything bad that happened to her, in a way he envied her for that. 

Sansa stared at him, with teary eyes. “Stannis, bring me away from here, please. I need silence for a while”. And so he took her by her hand and slipped away with her towards what should have been the Hand’s solar, years and years ago. It was disused now, but it was what they needed now. She cleaned the desk's surface with a hand and sat on it, letting her tears coming down, with no restraint. He rushed towards her, catching them with his fingers, stroking gently her thigh, to comfort. She sobbed and leaned into the cradle of his neck, bathing into his scent. He tried to say something, but everything he could say seemed to him so banal and useless, he was ashamed. It was not what he needed now, to hear she was too much for him, that he was an idiot, and that the Tyrell girl was what he deserved because they were both awful and they would have awful kids, but somehow he managed to make her laugh through her tears. He told her how bright she was, interesting, and full of life and ideas, how she deserved instead to focus on herself and her life, to travel and make something for herself, to catch the moment and find her way, that was something Joffrey would have never let happen. 

She stared at him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “You’re the only person, apart from my family, who sees something in me, apart from my beauty”. He kissed her back, reluctant, feeling guilty for their gap and her being barely legal. Somehow she seemed to catch his anxiety so she deepened the kiss and whispered to his mouth “I’ve always thought you were the best one in the family…and Selyse was so stupid to let you go. I’ve kinda always wanted this. Sometimes he kissed me and I only thought about your lips on mine instead. And maybe it’s crazy and scary, but as you told me, we should get the moment and live. Make me live, Stannis.”. 

He threw his jacket on the table and decided to forget his guilt for a while and positioned himself between her long legs. He went back to kiss her, tongue meeting tongue, while exploring her body with one hand. He caressed her breast, playing with a nipple through the soft light fabric, making her pant and moan against his mouth, and found his way towards her core. She had already raised her skirt, showing her perfect long legs, wrapping them around him, as if to not let him run away. He moved her panties and started to stroke her with two fingers, placing them inside her, one at a time, pushing slowly to make her pant and moaning his name again. He added one more finger, while circling her clit, gently. Sansa pushed her head backwards, and closed her eyes, rapidly losing control of her body. She looked like a goddes and was completely his. she pushed her body towards his fingers, meeting them greedily. He could see her nipples hardened, her mouth open, chanting his name like a prayer, her lips red and swollen from his kiss. He went on until she came around him, and placed a wet soft kiss on her neck, kissing her deeply with lust and affection. They stayed like that for a while, trying to catch their breaths again, head against head. Suddenly he moved and went to find something to clean himself. 

When he turned, she was gone, but he found his jacket back on the table and one of her earring pinned to it.   
Under it, there was a note: “I’m going to need that back, so this is my number. Come to me, my knight. Royal balls are such a bore, aren’t they? ;) S.”.   
Finally, Stannis smiled


	3. swallowed in the sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Idk, I was melancholic and I feel kinda sorry but that was my mood.  
> as always, english is not my language so probably it's imperfect but who isn't.

Stannis woke up with a star, a thunder far away. He opened his eyes and sat, abruptly, on the bed; he moved with little patience the sheets and caressed his face with his hands, swiping away his sweat. He just had again the same nightmare...it had been months it tormented him. He breathed slowly and deeply, letting the sea breeze cradling him; his face lighten up by the angry lightnings that teared the sky apart. Spring came time ago, swiping away coldness and every snowflake left, but in some way, it seemed the world wanted to reflect his temper and show him it felt him. Instinctively he streched his hand towards the other side of the bed, to caress his wife, but as every night in the last months, he only found emptiness. 

Stannis frowned and stayed there for a while, only to be stirred by the desperate wail of a newborn, coming from the room next to his. Steffon, at this point was six months old, his longed boy, clever and curious to know the world around him and explore it. 

He thought back to when he saved her. He had found Sansa, unexpectedly, wandering in the tall snow, wearing clothes too thin to help her through the winter, although her icy eyes and wolf blood hinted at the opposite. He found her half freezed, hand in hand with what remained of the Greyjoy's heir, shallow eyes, violet lips and bruises that adorned her face and body, gifts of a savage.   
For duty, he had decided to fight to get Winterfell back. But in the deep, he already knew that an invisible thread already started to spin around his heart to bound him to that person, so frail yet steely. She reminded him of his Proudwing and so he decided to not commit another time that mistake and to not abandon her. 

Everything else came gradually. He got Winterfell, punished the Boltons, eradicating every branch, condemning them to eternal oblivion, and helped her to rebuilt her Home. Other storms were raging then, the White Walkers, the Blonde Dragon and that damned brotherfucker lioness, but Stannis decided to take his time, to prepare himself and his soldier to the Greater wars, to understand how they could have had Shireen killed and to get to know better the young Stark, who, for kindness and for a natural inclination to motherhood, took care of his wounds, mental and physical. 

In the end, he killed Selyse and Melisandre for their sins, freeing himself one for all, the White Walkers were defeated and young Targaryen fell victim of her own madness, as it happened to his dear former sister-in-law, killed by her twin, an act of mercy and an act to free himself too, from her claws.   
Young Snow denied his Father's name and decided to accept his King original proposal; he got the Stark name and Winterfell, to protect his family, his Sansa and to honor that man who had protected him and raised him like a son. Young Snow pushed Sansa towards him, believing she needed - they both needed - to be happy and he gladly decided to fix his relationship with the young red wolf, and gave her what she deserved.

Slowly, Stannis learned how to accept her little attentions, her caresses, her sweet whispered words, her hidden chaste kisses, trying to see everything good she put in there, moving away his negative and paranoid thoughts. 

He found Sansa one early morning, late winter, in the Godswood, so dear to her Father. Lately, thanks to Bolton's bastard, it only gave her pain, but Sansa was like that, ever resilient, facing her fears.   
He could recall how the soft spring light, enlightened her face, making her red hair even more shiny, a red never seen before, that belonged to her and her alone and made her even more stunning. He could recall how in that moment he had decided to face his own fears and make her his for eternity. He could remember her sweet embrace after his proposal and that long kiss, no longer chaste. 

On their wedding day she was striking beautiful as the Maiden in person, walking under the Heart trees, Jon giving her away. Her long auburn hair framing her face and her curves. Her pale blue dress, embracing her long legs, thin and gauzy, finely embroidered. Sansa wore a winter roses crown, to let everyone know she could even look like a Trout but still she had a pinch of wildness, like her sister and their aunt before them. A crown, a foresight of that little golden and bronze crown, decorated with Baratheon antlers that she would have worn. 

He could still savour their first night together, ever so sweet and passionate. He could still feel her between his arms, how he had kissed her long and deeply, as she deserved, her smiles and little giggles, her eyes darkened with lust and how they taught to and learned from each other. Together. 

He could still feel his heart leap as in the moment she had told him she was with child. How his hand went still on her flat belly to protect that little life already there. He could picture how they stayed long in silence, head to head, tears filling their eyes, smiling, knowing that baby wasn't duty but love.   
He could still feel his joy, when Steffon was born, red faced and angry, as in his right, icy blue eyes and black ink hair; the Baratheon heir. And could feel Sansa's tired smile on him, while holding his little bundle. 

Stannis moved definitively his sheets and marched fast towards the nursery. He opened the door, hoping to find Sansa there, bent on the cradle, whispering words of love to their baby, to calm him as she used to do with him. But he found it empty.  
He asked himself for a while, where she was. He moved towards the baby and positioned him between his callous hands, holding him carefully on his shoulder, rocking him. 

He moved towards the window, storm raging outside. Somehow, a stormy sea calmed them both.   
He naturally thought even how their happiness didn't last. He thought about Sansa, how she, after a long and difficult labourt, fought to stay, but fell in a long sleep. How she asked him to forgive her and made him promise to love and protect him, no matter what and how she surrendered to fever, leaving him alone, in the end.  
He didn't believe in any gods, since his parents' death, but in that moment he had bitterly thought that once again they had enjoyed making fun of him. Maybe, he wasn't made for happiness, in the end. 

For months he hadn't wanted to look at the baby, asking Sansa mentally to forgive him to not be able to look in those eyes, her eyes, and love him. For months, he locked himself in, more than always. He had let Marya and Davos to take care of the baby, since one more wouldn't have changed anything. But that night, something changed in him. That cry, desperate and never-ending, made him believe it was meant for him, to ask him to be seen and heard, and Stannis, for the first time, thought to be ready to do it. 

Worried by Steffon sudden silence, Marya stormed in the room, only to find the King, his father, gently rocking little Steffon, covered in the blanket his mother made for him, humming Sansa's song, while watching the storm, and for the first time after months, warm relieved tears fell from her eyes, as they were both safe.


End file.
